We Witches Four: The Beginning
by nth
Summary: It's not really an update, just changed some stuff like names, and added some bits. It's basically still the same. I love the Charmed world I made and will still be writing more, starting with a new fic called "Changes". Hope y'all R&R!
1. A Stranger at the Door

DISCLAIMER: Everything which are on "Charmed", created by Constance Burge, are not mine. There is no such book, to my knowledge, as Wicca: A History of Witches. I made it up. In the fourth chapter, I use the first part of the spell to summon the Power of Three in the real show. I don't own that either. The "shadow/ shadow creature" was based on a creature from Charmed. The details are made up, but I can't claim it as my own. Characters, backgrounds, and such created for this fanfic, though, are mine.  
  
Words between asterisks (e.g. *blah*) are italicized. Still trying to learn html.  
  
*** *** ***  
  
We Witches Four: A Stranger at the Door  
  
*** *** ***  
  
After Piper and Phoebe Halliwell lost their sister, Prudence, to the Source, they thought the Power of Three was lost forever. However, they soon meet the daughter of their mother and her whitelighter, their youngest sister, Paige.  
  
The Power of Three restored, the three witches continued their plight against evil. But after Piper Halliwell gives birth to her first child, her whitelighter husband Leo, Phoebe and Paige are killed by demons. Blaming herself for her sister's death, Piper gives up, leaving San Francisco for a new life.  
  
Now, twenty-three years after the Power of Three was lost, Piper's children, Purity, Alexander, Drew, and Julia have no knowledge of their lineage, as their mother died a few years after she gave birth to Julia, her youngest child. Purity, 23; Xan and Drew, 17; Julia, 15.  
  
*** *** ***  
  
Julia Madison walked through their neat, suburban home, the feeling of emptiness swallowing her heart and soul. Having just come from her father's wake, she could not shake off the sense of guilt and sadness which hung over her, and even the whole house. The afternoon sun streaming through the open windows, wanting to lift her hopes, were lost in the melancholic silence which swept through the hall.  
  
Purity, her sister, had gone through her father's papers, wanting to fix the problems they had and those her father had left for them. Xan and Drew, her twin brothers, had decided to fix their things. They were packing their bags and leaving in three days for their Aunt Lucy's – it was their father's request that when he would pass on, and they had nobody to support them, they would live with his sister.  
  
Julia sat down on their plush couch, her legs tired from all the walking around. She had always been close to Dad, and now that he was gone, she felt hopeless.  
  
Whet were they going to do now? She thought to herself.  
  
Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes, trying to conjure up the memories of her dad. The Gifted One, Dad always called her, though Julia never thought this to be true. She had fewer talents than anyone in the family, or so she believed.  
  
Purity had always been the smart one, a violin player, and a champion speaker. Straight A's – a feat Julia would never be able to accomplish. Plus the fact that she had their mother's genes, having silky mahogany hair, and shining eyes, Pru was destined to be a school beauty, though she never flaunted it, and really didn't care how beautiful she was – she knew what really matters in life. People would notice her charm at first glance, but when they got to know her, first impressions were lost.  
  
Even then, no-one could deny her kindness and wisdom. Then of course, she had had time to learn it all after their mom died. Dad gave financial support, Pru was left with to do everything else. Dad did do his share of the housework, but Pru would be the one to take care of them when he was gone, which could sometimes take two or three days. This challenge gave way to a responsible, motherly young girl, who blossomed into a smart, attractive young woman. In short, Pru was perfect. Her name fit her nicely.  
  
A flaw (if it could be called a flaw) that Purity Madison had was being able to hold the longest grudges. With all her kindness, Pru could keep her anger for someone for so long, and make them feel guilty along with it. The greatest grudge she had on anyone was her father.  
  
Julia had often wondered why Pru hated their father so much. Probably because Jeremy Madison wasn't her father at all, and no one in the family knew just who her real father was. Their mother would never tell. When she was asked, she would grow quiet and withdrawn, spacing out. Because of this, nobody ever bothered to ask again.  
  
"Hey, J. Are you just going to help or what?" asked Drew, carrying an armload of boxes. Years before, Julia had loved his brother Drew, the more fun-loving of the twins. Drew always took any situation lightly, rarely paying attention to his responsibilities. Julia guessed that their father's social capabilities had passed on to Drew, rather than Xan, who had inherited their mother's down-to-earth character.  
  
Drew and Xan were almost complete opposites. Drew, with his athleticism and popularity, and Xan with his silent creativity and "weirdness" – a term Julia heard often from those who knew him. Yet Julia dismissed these ideas. Sure, sometimes Xan could be strange, but she had always thought him sensitive, and thoughtful.  
  
"Drew, please," called Pru from upstairs, her voice loud and stern.  
  
Julia had grown to learn that Drew was and will always be immature and careless. It seemed that the only thing he was useful for was his strength and build. Aside from that, Drew was seldom around, and when he was, he never proved to be very useful around the house, except for moving furniture, and fixing whatever stuff broke down.  
  
"Can you give me a hand?" asked Xan, carrying a box filled with the family collectibles, to Drew, who was bringing down his own suitcases.  
  
Xan was a person to be trusted, reliable and resourceful. He did his best, did to his greatest capabilities. But he had always been different. "It's in the Halliwell line", their mother had strangely said, and had left it at that.  
  
The smell of incense and candle wax filled the air, as Xan began to bring more of his stuff down the steps.  
  
One afternoon, Mom found Wicca: A History of Witches when she was using the phone in Xan and Drew's room. When Mom had asked them to explain what this book was doing in their room, Xan had said that it was his. Later, Xan had made an announcement on his interest in Wicca, one of the growing religions In the U.S.  
  
Of course, all of them were surprised, but none were really shocked with Xan's decision. The children had no strict religious upbringing, going only to church every now and then.  
  
Dad was OK with it. Pru with her open-mindedness, respected her brother but had her arguments. Drew didn't really care. Julia didn't know what to think.  
  
What shocked everyone was Mom, who fumed when she heard Xan. Of course, she wouldn't explain, but all she did say that she would not have any of Xan's nonsense in her house. Even then, she couldn't change Xan's mind. In time, she let it go, though sometimes she could not help but frown when Xan talked about his Wiccan interest.  
  
Julia stood up to collect the family photos which were arranged on a shelf above the fireplace. She held up one of the pictures of them, the one which was taken when they went to a local fair. It showed all six of them, smiling with the carousel horses behind them. That was what they were then – a family.  
  
Piper Halliwell Madison rarely talked about her family, and when she did, it sounded like her past life was full of regrets. They knew she had lived in San Francisco, with her two sisters – she had always kept a picture of the three of the sisters in front of their house. Julia and her siblings had never been there, and their mother would never take them. Even the address was unknown to them. Julia began to put the pictures into a brown carton, wiping the tears from her eyes and the memories from her mind. She had learned from a young age that crying did not do anything, did not fulfill any purpose.  
  
"Xan! Drew! Julia! Come in here!" called Pru excitedly from the den.  
  
"What? What is it?" asked Julia, running from the living room. Pru was not easily excited, and when she was, something was definitely up.  
  
"Look at this," said Pru, pointing to a piece of paper, among the several others which were stacked up on the desk.  
  
"Look at what?" Drew said.  
  
"Read."  
  
"It's Mom's will," Julia had already begun to read.  
  
Just before their Dad died, had told them to look for their mother's will, which he said had specific instructions for them. Unfortunately, it was nowhere to be found and they had settled with going to their aunt instead. Pru had yet to find a stable job, and the house just couldn't take care of itself.  
  
"What does it say?" Xan had taken to let Pru explain it all.  
  
"Well the most important thing it says is that we don't have to move to Aunt Lucy's."  
  
"It has the address where Mom used to live. Mom wants us to live there. But how does she expect us to – "  
  
"Julia was cut off by the sound of their doorbell.  
  
"I'll get it," she said, expecting to see one of their relatives who was late for the gathering. Julia walked down the hall, the sound of the doorbell insistent in her ear.  
  
She opened the door to a dark-haired 30-something woman.  
  
"Hi. Purity Madison? I don't think you know me. I'm Paige Halliwell. I'm your mother's younger sister." 


	2. A Past Long Forgotten

A Past Long Forgotten  
  
"Oh sorry, I'm not..." Julia stammered. "Pru! There's someone at the door!"  
  
"Who is it?" Pru was already behind Julia. "Yes, hello. How may I help you?" asked Pru to the woman at the porch.  
  
"Purity. It's been so long. Twenty-three years," said Paige Halliwell, looking at Pru lovingly.  
  
"Excuse me, do I know you?" Pru had put on her defensive mode. Who was this woman?  
  
"She's our mom's sister. Our aunt." Julia piped in, a look of confusion on her face.  
  
"Yes, Paige Halliwell. Oh gosh, I'm an aunt now,"the stranger said to no- one in particular.  
  
Pru had taken a moment to take this all in. An aunt? Mom's younger sister? "Wait a minute, that can't be- oh, sorry, please come in. Drew! Xan!"  
  
"What?" yelled Drew, coming out the den. Xan followed, still clutching their mom's will. Both were surprised to see the strange woman in their house and curious to know who she was.  
  
"Have a seat,"Pru told Paige. "Would you like anything? A drink?" If you want to now what I want, I want an explanation. If she's thinking of pulling any funny stuff, there's four of us to one of her, Pru thought, seeing Julia, Drew and Xan take their seats  
  
"No, I'm fine," Paige replied. "I know I've come at a bad time. I'm sorry about your father."  
  
Pru's mouth twitched. What a way to greet us.  
  
Paige Halliwell did not seem to notice.  
  
"It's just that I saw it on the paper, and I've been looking for you for so long, and I got here as fast as I could, and now..."  
  
Paige smiled at all of them.  
  
"I knew that Piper," Paige's eyes glazed over, "would want me to be with you."  
  
Pru crossed over to where Xan was, and took their mom's will.  
  
"This is my mom's will," Pru held the paper for her to see, "and she hadn't written that she wanted us to be with an aunt who would only come to us after our father's death."  
  
"But she does want us to live in your house in San Francisco," Julia interrupted. "Maybe she meant that we would live with you, if you're still living there. Pru doesn't have a job yet." Julia looked over at Pru, who gave Julia a face which said "what are you doing?" and "lay off" in one glance.  
  
"Our mother never told us about you. She never told us much about her family. We have a picture," Pru paused and looked over the fireplace shelf, and saw the picture of the Halliwell sisters missing, "here... somewhere."'  
  
Julia walked over to the brown carton, fished out the picture, and gave it to Paige. "You're not there," Julia spoke quietly. Paige ran her finger lightly over the photo.  
  
"You're right," Paige replied "I'm not in the picture. That's only Piper, Prue and Phoebe. My older sisters."  
  
"Prue and Phoebe, so those are their names. Wait a minute, our mom was the oldest?" asked Julia.  
  
"No, see, Prue," said Paige, pointing at the woman in the middle, "was the oldest. Phoebe is the one at the right, the youngest of them. I guess I'm not in any of the pictures your mother has. In fact, I've got only a few of me with Phoebe and Piper back home."  
  
"Aunt Phoebe and Mom? Why? What happened to Aunt Prue?" asked Xan. A few seconds into family history and he had already started calling them aunts, Pru thought.  
  
"What's with all the P's?" Drew muttered to himself.  
  
"You come here after my father's death and tell us you're our long-lost aunt. Mom never told us all this. I need to know why," said Pru sternly.  
  
"Well, I can't explain this clearly now, but, well, we sisters have a family secret. So secret that I can't tell you. Problems our family had that we had to cope with every day. Problems which took up our whole lives," said Paige in a rush of breath.  
  
"I was the child of my mom, Piper's mom, and a man I never came to know. I was left by my mom and him, in a church for the nuns there to take care of me. I was just a baby then. I was adopted, and the one thing I wanted was to meet my real parents. And then I grew up, and I found my sister Prue in the newspaper." Paige gave a sad smile then, saying "You could say I had a knack for obits. And I went to find my mother there. Who I found was my sisters, your mom, Piper, and your Aunt Phoebe. Phoebe was the first one to believe I me."  
  
"I found out our family secret later on, and life got harder, but I knew I could pull through."  
  
"But when Phoebe died," Paige gulped as a tear rolled down her cheek. "Piper couldn't take it anymore. She left me. I was crying for days."  
  
Paige put her hands to cover her face as her crying shook her whole body. Julia offered her shoulder to cry on, hugging her. Xan had gone to the kitchen, coming back with a glass of water. Pru reached across the sofa for the box of tissues. Drew sat still, then shifted uncomfortably.  
  
Paige dried her tears, and, thanking Xan, drank the water. "But that's all behind me now. What matters is that I've found you, and I couldn't be more thankful. Four fine children. I knew Piper would make a great mom."  
  
"Yes, we know that our mom is the greatest. And we thank you so much that you came, but, I'm sorry, we can't go to San Francisco. We're going to live with our father's sister, Lucy White –" Julia had gripped Pru's hand, digging her nails into her flesh.  
  
"Excuse us for a moment, please," said Julia to her Aunt Paige, as she while holding Pru, led them to the den. Drew and Xan followed.  
  
"What are you doing?!" complained Julia.  
  
"What do you think I'm doing? A woman comes here claiming to be our aunt! We should have slammed the door in her face!" Pru answered.  
  
"Why are you making this harder for us? Aunt Paige can support us! You can find a job! We'll just change schools! Even you don't like Aunt Lucy! I bet she doesn't even know we're supposed to live with her!"  
  
"Ok, I may not like Aunt Lucy, but when a long-lost aunt comes to our house, I don't just take the chance and think that hey, maybe she IS our aunt!"  
  
"Tell me how she can tell who Piper—I mean, mom, is in the picture? Huh?"  
  
Pru began to stroke her temples. "You're giving me a headache. Xan, please talk some sense in your sister."  
  
"I don't know, Pru," said Xan, "I think you're making this harder on yourself and us. We should give Paige a chance to explain."  
  
Pru stared at him with her steely blue eyes, her lips pressed together and her forehead in furrows.  
  
"Don't do that, Pru you're gonna get wrinkles." Julia joked weakly, trying to alleviate the tension. That was what Dad used to say when Julia or I was upset, Pru thought. It was supposed to make us laugh. Well, I'm not laughing now.  
  
Pru turned her gaze to Drew. "Don't tell me you believe her, too."  
  
"Okay," answered Drew.  
  
"Dear God, help me," grumbled Pru  
  
"I don't know," Drew said, "Aunt Paige looks cool."  
  
"She is not our aunt."  
  
"She is, too," Julia insisted, "I know it. It feels right somehow. All this."  
  
"So what, you're like, psychic now?" yelled Pru.  
  
Paige was standing in the doorway. "Is something wrong?"  
  
"Well that's an understatement. Did you think we'd believe you?" Pru scoffed.  
  
Suddenly, as if on cue, a bunch of papers fell out of Paige's open purse.  
  
"Let me help you,"Julia offered, picking up the documents, taking a glance on one of them. "It's-"  
  
"Proof of my Halliwell line. My sisters – your aunts – left everything to me, Piper planned it. She didn't want anything to remind her of the life she had had. Except the memory of her sisters."  
  
Julia, Xan, and even Drew, began to read over Paige's papers. If what Paige said was true, mom didn't want anything, except a remembrance of her sisters, then why hadn't her mother talked about Paige Halliwell? What was the secret her mother's family was hiding? Why didn't she want anything to remind her of her past?  
  
Paige Halliwell had a lot to explain. 


	3. Home Sweet Home

Home Sweet Home  
  
*** *** ***  
  
With bags in each hand, Xan Madison walked up the steps leading to the front door of the Halliwell manor. Xan looked about eagerly, the house was pink - not exactly his idea of great wall color, but it could do.  
  
It was almost a year after Xan and his siblings had first met Aunt Paige. Her story was unbelievable at first, but Xan had seen it as a way out. San Francisco was definitely better than their old home town. Xan could hardly believe it took just a short time to arrange everything. After their dad had died, they were supposed to got to Aunt Lucy, dad's only sister. It turned out that Aunt Lucy didn't really know they were supposed to live with her. Nonetheless, she didn't want them to live with her, and did just about anything to get them out of her hair. It was settled that they live with their Aunt Paige. Xan was thankful they were here.  
  
"Isn't it beautiful?" Paige noticed Xan looking at the house. '"After all these years... actually I'm very proud of myself of keeping it maintained. I'm not alone, of course," said  
  
Paige, pointing to the elderly man who was tending to the garden. "Mr. Inne, he helps me with the house thrice a week."  
  
Paige walked onto the front lawn to Mr. Inne, who was watering the daffodils growing by the side of the house. Xan continued up the concrete steps, his siblings following behind.  
  
He walked through the door, met by the simple, yet stylish furnishings which gave serenity to the home. Wow, thought Xan. A Victorian house which had been able to withstand earthquakes, storms, and cobwebs. The house was perfect.  
  
A soft tinkling of wind chimes told Xan that the rest of the family had entered the house.  
  
"Wow, it's so pretty," commented Julia, Xan's younger sister, staring at the different knick-knacks which were arranged around the sitting room. In the conservatory, Pru, his older sister, was admiring the beautiful orchids which were hanging from the ceiling. Xan's twin brother Drew, on the other hand, was already rushing up the varnished oak staircase.  
  
"I have dibs on the best room!" yelled Drew as he ran up the second floor. What an idiot, thought Xan. He dropped his bags on the floor, having decided to look around the house more. Xan went to the kitchen, looking at the antiques which had passed the test of time.  
  
The kitchen was a soft pastel yellow, which gave a feel of pale sunshine to the room. It looked like the kitchen wasn't used for a long time, though it was remarkably clean, without a speck of dust on any of the appliances. Whoever kept this house knew his stuff.  
  
A bell rung as the kitchen door opened to reveal Xan's Aunt Paige.  
  
"Ah, I see you've been through my - I mean - our kitchen."  
  
"Yeah," Xan replied, "Pru would love this. She's a great cook, just like-"  
  
"Your mother. Piper, I know. I can still remember when I would go down to the kitchen, and I would be greeted by Piper, and our breakfast. She always made sure the food she made was perfect."  
  
"I miss her," Aunt Paige said, tearfully.  
  
"Me too," agreed Xan.  
  
Oh my-"Pru was standing I the doorway, staring at the kitchen.  
  
"Welcome to the kitchen," said Paige, with a smile. "Xan told me you cooked well. I'm hoping to get a taste of your talent real soon."  
  
*** *** ***  
Later, the Pru, Drew, Xan, Julia and Paige were seated around the dinner table, which was laden with food which had been prepared by Pru.  
  
"This is delicious," commented Paige on Pru's cooking.  
  
"Thank you,"replied Pru, blushing. "I've never wanted to cook so much until I got here. It's just that I felt like, 'wow, Mom lived here, she cooked here', and I felt really good about it. And we have you to thank for.  
  
"I'm really sorry I was so cruel back then," apologized Pru.  
  
"No, don't be," Paige said, "I was stupid to think you would take me in just like that."  
  
Xan looked at Aunt Paige and Pru, feeling happiness and relief, knowing that any family anxiety was over. He ate his pasta with gusto.  
  
Julia looked up from eating her food. "Where should we stay? There are only three rooms."  
  
"Yeah," agreed Drew. "And there are just three beds. I thought our mom wanted us to LIVE here."  
  
"Well," replied Paige, "I'd ordered beds, but I think they'll come tomorrow or the day after. Until then, we'll just have to make a few sacrifices. I'll stay here downstairs. Two of the couches are sofa-beds. Someone else will have to sleep downstairs, too."  
  
Strange, thought Xan. A fancy house like this having sofa-beds. Xan chuckled to himself. "I'll sleep here."  
  
Xan's siblings looked at each other, and shrugged.  
  
"Fine with me," Drew said, going back to his food.  
  
Pru glared at his younger brother Drew. "Are you sure with that, Xan?"  
  
"It's okay with me if I sleep downstairs,"Julia offered.  
  
"How about the room at the top of the stairs?" Pru insisted. "Near the sitting room?"  
  
Paige's eyes looked up, meeting Pru's. "Well, if you've tried the door, you'll see it's locked. Actually, I haven't been able to open the attic for a while now. I guess the door was blown by the wind, and it jammed."  
  
"Doesn't it have a key? Maybe Drew should try opening it," Pru said, directing Paige's eyes to her brother, "He's really strong. Or Xan could-"  
  
"No, it's fine," replied Xan. He took a gulp of water from his glass before standing up from his chair. "I'll wash the dishes."  
  
*** *** ***  
Xan woke up.  
  
He looked around him. He had heard a noise. Where did it come from?  
  
Cautious of possible burglars, Xan began to creep around the living room. Aunt Paige was quietly sleeping across him. Xan took careful steps, trying not to make a single sound. Nearing the hall, he snatched an umbrella near the coat rack, ready for any attack.  
  
Why am I doing this, thought Xan. Who am I trying to kid? What am I trying to prove? He gripped the umbrella tighter.  
  
Xan had gotten to the sitting room. It sounded like it came from here. Xan slowed his breathing, listening carefully to the sounds of the late evening.  
  
There it was again. Holding the makeshift weapon in front of him, Xan carefully, quietly went up the stairs. The stairs which led up to the attic.  
  
As the man at the attic door rattled the doorknob, Xan raised the umbrella over his head.  
  
Suddenly, he realized who the person was.  
  
"Pru!"  
  
"Oh!" Pru squeaked, turning around and bumping her head on the door. "Ow! Xan! Don't surprise me like that!" she whispered.  
  
"What are you doing?! Why are you whispering?!" Xan whispered back.  
  
Pru shuffled down the attic steps, taking a look at Paige, who apparently was unaffected by the commotion.  
  
"I wasn't comfortable with you sleeping there. I didn't believe Paige. Something in her story was... wrong, I don't know."  
  
"Obviously, the door's still jammed, right?"  
  
A creaking sound made them both jump.  
  
The attic door was ajar.  
  
"What the-"Xan looked at the room the open door was showing them. "How did- "  
  
"Come on," Pru coaxed, walking slowly into the dusty room.  
  
Boxes were lying all around, assorted items, stuffed into them. To the right of the door were old, heavy trunks, their metal clasps, rusted with age. To the right were antiques. The moon showed through the single window, in the center of the wall across the door. Pale, white moonbeams were the only source of light in the room  
  
In the center of the room was a book stand. A thick book rested on its surface. The light shone around it, as if it the moon were enticing visitors to have a look. Xan went over to the stand, and was surprised by what he saw.  
  
"Pru, come take a look at this."  
  
When Xan was a child, he had an avid interest in magic, and even performed tricks. This interest in the supernatural grew. When he was 12, he learned about witchcraft and about Wicca. Xan learned a lot about it during the past few years, and knew enough that the symbol engraved on the book's cover was Wiccan.  
  
The symbol was made up of what looked like a flower with only three petals spread out, pointing in three separate directions. A circle cut through the petals, seeming to unite it somehow.  
  
"What is it?" asked Pru, looking curiously at the object before her.  
  
Xan answered, "I think- I think it's a book of shadows." 


	4. Opening the Circle

Opening the Circle  
  
*** *** ***  
  
Drew went down the steps of the Halliwell manor. He yawned, rubbing his eyes, having lost sleep with being in a new house, a new bed, and hearing new sounds in the night. He walked to the kitchen, where all his family but one were caught up in their Daily Morning Ritual.  
  
Basking in the morning sunlight was Pru, sipping coffee and reading the newspaper at the same time. Xan seemed to be hunting for milk to go with his cereal (I'll get some of that later, Drew decided). Julia was eating yogurt (yuck) and watching Mr. Inne clip branches from a scrawny tree, Aunt Paige's voice muted by thick glass windows as she seemed to be talking to the preoccupied gardener.  
  
"Hey, Aunt Paige is taking us around 'Frisco. You better get ready," said Julia, throwing the yogurt cup in the trash can, and going out of the kitchen.  
  
"Julia's right," said Aunt Paige, coming from the back door. "Eat up and get ready. We should be going in a while."  
  
"I don't think I'm going," said Xan. "I don't feel well."  
  
Pru looked at him with a piercing glare from her steely blue eyes, as if Xan was doing something wrong. Was he?  
  
Aunt Paige looked curiously his way. "I'm sorry about your sleep, dear. Oh! The beds are coming today! I forgot! I guess everything does happen for a reason!"  
  
Drew cleared his throat. "Um, Aunt Paige, I don't think we should leave Xan here alone. I think I'll stay, too."  
  
Aunt Paige laughed. "Well I guess it's a girl's day out! You guys will just have to see San Francisco another time!"  
  
All that time, Pru was sitting down on her chair, her lips pressed together. I'll get to the bottom of this, thought Drew.  
  
*** *** ***  
  
Xan and Drew waved goodbye to their sisters and aunt, as they drove away from the house. Closing the door, Drew said "Okay, they're gone. Spill it."  
  
Xan's brow furrowed. "Spill what?"  
  
"Do you honestly want me to believe that you're sick?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"And Pru throws her trademark Stare Maneuver? Yeah right."  
  
Xan sighed, elbowing Drew out of his way. You think you'll get away from this? Drew thought. Just wait.  
  
*** *** ***  
  
Drew was in the kitchen, fixing himself a grilled cheese sandwich. Helping the beds people took the breath out of him. Drew suddenly remembered Xan. He hadn't seen him since the others left. Where was he?  
  
Drew had just come from Pru's/Julia's bedroom and theirs, so that ruled those out. He wouldn't be in Aunt Paige's room. And he wasn't in the kitchen obviously. Drew walked down the hall, eating his sandwich and peeping inside the different parts of the house. Stepping out the front door, Drew surveyed the street, and went around the manor. Mr. Inne was still tending to the various sprawling plants of the backyard, when Drew came up to him to pop his question.  
  
"Hey, um, Mr. Inne. Seen Xan, my twin? Looks exactly like me, only he's a scrawny version of me?"  
  
Mr. Inne looked at him, eyes blank and cold. A few seconds passed before he shook his head slowly, so much that Drew had almost thought he only imagined the gardener's head movement.  
  
"...Thanks."  
  
Ooooh-kay, Drew thought as he entered through the kitchen door. That was weird. Maybe he was deaf?  
  
Shaking the incident out of his mind, he got back to his main quest. Where else could Xan be? He made his way up the steps to their rooms, when he remembered. The attic! Maybe for some miracle, Xan got the attic door open!  
  
Drew chuckled to himself. Oh hell, might as well check it out. He made it to the sitting room, and went up the steps to the attic. Drew could see that the door was ajar, the light of midday streaming through.  
  
"Ha! I knew you were here!" yelled Drew, slamming open the old attic door.  
  
Xan made a face. "What are YOU doing here?"  
  
"Just looking out for my one and only twin brother. Ey, What you got there?" Drew said, pointing at the thick book Xan was holding.  
  
"It's a... book of shadows-" replied Xan, as Drew crossed the room and snatched the book from his hands. "Hey!"  
  
"Kewl." Drew flipped the pages looking at the sketches of the faces of some ugly people. He closed it and looked at the heavy book binding and cover. "A booka-what?"  
  
"Book. Of. Shadows. Give me that," Xan said, taking the book back and placing it on the bookstand. "You're staining it."  
  
Drew smirked. "Anyway, want to join me for lunch? I'm making sandwiches. You can cook too if you want. But if you want to chip in some cash, we could get a pi-"  
  
All of a sudden, the book opened, and its pages began to flip.  
  
Drew froze. No wind. No windows, actually. Door closed. Xan wasn't touching it. How could- "Okay, is this a trick? Are you doing it?"  
  
"I'm not doing it," answered Xan, looking at the page the book had flipped to.  
  
"Okay, this is creepy. Are you sure you're not doing it? Maybe Aunt Paige does these things, too."  
  
"It's the same page," said Xan. He began to read silently.  
  
Wha?" Drew came closer, peering at the same page his brother was reading. "This is a book of what?"  
  
"Shadows. It's a book that witch- Wiccans keep, like a journal. But this, I don't know. It's got some weird things in it.  
  
"When I was here awhile ago, the pages flipped too, and it stopped at this. I think it's a spell, or an incantation, at the least."  
  
"Okay, it was fine when you went into that witch idea," said Drew, "but don't think I'll be pulled into that stuff."  
  
"Read," forced Xan. Drew rolled his eyes and began to read.  
  
"*Hear now the words of the witches  
The secrets we hid in the night*"  
  
"What is this? Maybe we should just go downstairs get some lunch and-" Drew stared at his brother. Xan looked transfixed on reading the strange spell. "Okay, hello? Earth to Xan?" But Xan was hypnotized. He continued the incantation.  
  
"*The oldest of gods are invoked here.  
The great work of magic is sought.*"  
  
The boom of thunder reverberated through the whole house. Drew hadn't noticed the rain. Lightning struck at a distance. Xan was still reading. This time, the words seemed to shift, like the game they used to play at camp. A guy would tell a story, and leave it hanging. And the next person would continue it, sometimes changing the situation so drastically, the essence of the former story was lost.  
  
Xan's voice began to sound different, alien.  
  
"*Sisters, brothers, four towers unite  
In the midst of darkness, there shines the light  
We here summon the power of four  
We witches triumph, let evil be no more.*"  
  
With these last words, Drew felt overwhelming energy around the room. He looked at Xan, who shook his head and squinted, trying to understand just what had happened. And Drew thought he saw a gold light enveloping his brother.  
  
"What did you do?" asked Drew.  
  
For a few minutes, nothing but silence filled the room.  
  
Xan looked at Drew with a stupid look on his face. Drew would have laughed, if not for the writing which was slowly popping up on the page.  
  
"Xan, look," Drew said. He began to read when he realized that what he was reading – was his mother's handwriting.  
  
"*To my children,  
First off, I'm sorry for what I have done. I have left you at a wrong  
time, and was not there to help you in troubled times. I understand  
what you have gone through, and ask that you forgive me.  
  
I understand that you are at our manor, and have read the incantation.  
  
Now know the truth. You are witches. Not the Wiccan tradition  
which you, Xan, follow, but powerful, magical, butt-kicking witches.  
  
Yes, even I didn't believe it at first, but when I froze time, your  
Aunt Prue began to move things with her mind, and your Aunt Phoebe got  
premonitions, I knew it was true.  
  
Know also that you are GOOD witches, and that evil also lives. You  
will gain powers, special abilities to aid you in defeating the evil,  
and to save innocents. This book will also help you, it is a part of  
you and our Halliwell lineage- the spirits of our ancestors live  
through in the Book of Shadows.  
  
Be careful, as others may not understand what you do. You must always  
hide your true selves. Carelessness can lead to your doom.  
  
Lastly, know that the power resides not in your individual abilities.  
Not in the book. But in the bond of family. Between sisters and  
brothers. As long as your love for each other lives, so does the  
threefold power.  
  
Remember that we will always be with you.  
  
Love, Hugs and Kisses,  
Mom*"  
  
"Drew? Xan? Where are you?" called Aunt Paige.  
  
Xan hurriedly closed the book, as he and Drew dashed to the attic door, when Aunt Paige, a little wet from the rain, surprise on her face, stood in their way.  
  
"Guys! So you've been here all this time! How'd you get the attic door open?"  
  
Aunt Paige entered the attic, as Drew looked over to Xan, relying on him for an explanation.  
  
"Actually, the door opened itself," explained Pru following their aunt. "Xan and I were here last night. I was trying to open the door, and it swung open."  
  
Julia followed her older sister, looking around the attic room. "Wow, you've never been able to open this?"  
  
"Ever since Piper left. I guess she left the door locked." Aunt Paige went over to the book stand. "Have you touched this?" she said, pointing to the book. "Have you read this?"  
  
Xan nodded. Drew did the same. "Xan- he said it's a Book of... Shadows. It's got some weird things in it."  
  
"It's got things I've never heard of, or seen. Strange spells and... demons..." Xan continued.  
  
Aunt Paige regarded them silently. Pru and Julia's eyes traveled to the book, and then to their brother.  
  
"Are you a witch?" asked Xan. 


	5. Family Secrets

Family Secrets  
  
Julia was taken aback. "Xan! A witch?!"  
  
Xan stayed silent, waiting for an answer.  
  
Pru stalked over to his brother, "Xan, whatever disease you've caught must be making you crazy. Why don't you just sit down for a minute..."  
  
"No sis, look at the book. Xan's telling the truth," Drew said, defending his brother.  
  
What is going on here? Julia saw her Aunt Paige hand the thick, old book to Pru. Drew opened it to a page, and Pru began to read. Julia went over to her family, taking a glance at what her sister was reading.  
  
The first things she noticed was that this book was ancient. The pages were yellow with age, and sewn into the thick leather binding. Surprisingly though, the writing was still legible.  
  
Then she noticed that this book seemed to be a book of spells. The calligraphic writing was in rhyme, sort of in a sing-song chant. Julia knew this because she had read some of Xan's books, just for leisure. And of course, for occasional revenge at back-stabbing friends and heartbreakers. Though her brother always dampened her efforts, telling her that magick (with a k, Xan told her) wasn't to be toyed with.  
  
On top of the page was a symbol, with three arcs crossing each other, with one circle unifying them all. It looked suspiciously like a car brand.  
  
"What's that?" asked Julia.  
  
"It's the triquetra, the symbol of the power of three," Aunt Paige responded. She breathed deeply. "I'm a witch."  
  
"Another one is bitten by Xan's bug." Julia joked. Is this a conspiracy or what?  
  
"Is that the secret you couldn't tell us?" questioned Pru.  
  
"I told you it was a family secret. Prue, Phoebe and your mom are also witches. Which means you are, too."  
  
Piper's children were speechless.  
  
"Let me start from the beginning."  
  
*** *** ***  
  
"So let me get this straight," Julia interrupting Paige in her story, "our mom, aunt, and you come from a long line of witches, real witches, who battle evil with their inherited superpowers?" This is crazy, Julia thought. Aunt Paige must be going senile. She never DID say how old she is.  
  
"Yup. Every generation of witches from Melinda Warren's line would grow stronger, finally settling on three sisters, the Charmed Ones, the greatest ever to have lived," Paige told her.  
  
Xan said, "And because mom is a Charmed One, that means we're Charmed Ones too?"  
  
"You could be. When your Aunt Phoebe passed away, the power of three could have been lost. For a while. Pru, you were born then. Your mom had you, Xan, Drew and Julia later on. The power must have traveled to you four."  
  
Julia turned over the book she was holding. The insignia was exactly like the one she saw on the Power of Three page (or at least that was what Aunt Paige called it). There's four of us. The Power of Four, Julia thought.  
  
"My father- who did you say he was?" asked Pru, frustration clear on her face.  
  
Aunt Paige gave her a smile of understanding. "Leo. Leo Wyatt."  
  
"And he was my mother's whitelighter? A guardian angel?"  
  
"In a way, yes."  
  
"And technically they're already dead?"  
  
"Not really dead-dead. But they kinda died before. But as whitelighters, they're still alive."  
  
"Uh-huh." Pru nodded, thinking to herself. "And then my dad was killed... again?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Poor Pru, Julia thought.  
  
Pru stood up. She began to make her way out the attic.  
  
"Pru! Where are you going?" asked their aunt.  
  
"I'm going for a walk. Let's just hope demons aren't waiting for me outside."  
  
The twins, Julia and their aunt watched Pru shuffle down the attic steps.  
  
"Maybe I should..."  
  
"No, Aunt Paige," Julia said, "Pru will be fine. She has always wondered who her dad was. I guess now she just has to think this over a little." *I* need to think this over, she thought.  
  
"Wait a minute," wondered Drew, "if you're a witch, how come you don't have a whitelighter?"  
  
"That's a very good question." Aunt Paige chuckled. "I guess I'm too old! No, I think because the Elders probably thought I can take care of myself. I am a big girl, now."  
  
Julia and her brothers smiled. Our aunt is so cool. *Soo* unlike Aunt Lucy.  
  
"Now look at the time. Let's go down for lunch."  
  
Julia looked at her watch. Whoa, time sure did fly by. 2 p.m.  
  
"Anyone for pizza?"  
  
*** *** ***  
  
Julia was in the kitchen, thinking of yesterday. After what happened in the attic, her family had lunch, and the day went on normally. Xan had been up a couple of times during the afternoon, reading the BOS. Pru had gone back to the house just a few minutes after. Nobody asked her where she went.  
  
A witch. A REAL witch. It had taken a while to really sink in.  
  
Witch.  
  
WITCH.  
  
Her mind rolled over the word in certain parts of that day, and even invaded her dreams. She couldn't really remember them, but she was sure.  
  
Maybe this was all a dream?  
  
"We're witches?" whispered Drew to himself, getting soda from the fridge.  
  
Well, at least now I don't need to pinch myself, thought Julia. I don't think this is a reality I'm ready to deal with.  
  
Pru came in the kitchen, settling on one of the chairs. "Hey can I take a sip of this?" she asked Julia, referring to the glass of soda she was drinking.  
  
"Sure, it's yours," Julia replied.  
  
"Thanks." Pru took a sip. "Ugh, not cold."  
  
"You know, all these things. It's crazy. I mean, this must be a joke, right?" said Pru.  
  
"Well, Xan doesn't think so. He's been in the attic for ages now. Aunt Paige sure looked serious when she was talking about it. And you saw mom's writing."  
  
"I know. It's just- it's just really insane, that's what it is."  
  
Pru stood up and left the table, leaving Julia alone in the kitchen. 


	6. Darkness Within: The Final Chapter

Darkness Within:  
The Final Chapter  
  
*** *** ***  
  
"Ah!" cried Julia from the front door.  
  
Her two brothers ran in from the kitchen. "What?" they said in unison.  
  
Julia went in the house, holding the paper, and something else in her arms. She giggled. "It's just a cat. Cute kitty. What are you doing here?"  
  
"You should put it out," said Pru, coming from the kitchen. "It could be rabid."  
  
"It looks sick. Look how thin it is," noticed Drew, munching on a sandwich.  
  
"It's supposed to be like that," Xan corrected. "Pru is right though, it could be rabid."  
  
"Wait, it looks like it's ours, see?" Julia showed them the tag on the cat's collar. It had the triquetra, the symbol which was on the Book of Shadows.  
  
Their aunt Paige came in from upstairs. "Oh you found him!"  
  
"Looks like he found us," said Pru. "What's his name?"  
  
"His name's Kit. My sisters just had to put their sense of humor into the cat. He's been missing for a long time now. Come here, li'l fella."  
  
The cat hissed at their aunt, and jumping from Julia's arms, went out the door.  
  
"Weird. Why did it hiss at you like that?" asked Julia, making her way to the door.  
  
"Hmm. I don't know. It'll come back. In the meantime," said Aunt Paige, looking at her watch, "we have to get going."  
  
*** *** ***  
  
The five were eating at a restaurant called Quake, having left the Mr. Inne to guard the house. It was there that they found out that Piper used to manage the place. Aunt Paige couldn't believe it.  
  
"Hey, shouldn't we be getting a discount for this?" asked Drew over his dessert.  
  
"Jobs don't exactly stick to people when they quit, Drew," answered Pru.  
"Which is okay, since I'm paying," Aunt Paige said, "don't worry 'bout it, it's all on me." She looked around for a waiter, asking for the check.  
  
"You know what's weird? That a cat which has been missing for some months suddenly appears when we show up. Is that a coincidence or what?" Xan said.  
  
"You think it has something to do with, you know," Julia leaned closer, "our being witches?"  
  
"Why don't you speak up, J." Drew drank a glass of water. "I don't think the people at the other table heard you."  
  
"Guys, please. Don't bring that here." Pru frowned, watching Aunt Paige pay the bill.  
  
"Pru." Aunt Paige placed her hand on Pru's. "You have to accept this. It's your destiny. Our destiny. Resisting it just makes it harder."  
  
Pru sighed. She put her fingers to her temples. All at once her head was pounding. She closed her eyes, as her head suddenly swam. On opening her eyes, she saw her sister and brothers staring at her. What were they looking at? She followed their gaze to the source of their awe.  
  
Faint blue light was surrounding her glass. Slowly, it changed into a photo of her mother, and back into a glass.  
  
She gasped as she knocked it over the table.  
  
*** *** ***  
  
"I'm sorry, Aunt Paige, the glass, I-"  
  
Pru was apologizing to Aunt Paige. They had went back to the manor, their plans of a San Francisco shopping spree halted. Pru complained of the headache she had.  
  
"Don't apologize, Pru. You're just probably tired. Take a nap." Aunt Paige shooed her niece upstairs, Xan, Drew and Julia waiting in the hallway.  
  
"Well, that was a surprise. But Pru shouldn't be keeping you here. Here," Aunt Paige gave her keys to Drew. "Take the car, go wherever you want. You do know how to drive, right?"  
  
Drew showed his license to his aunt. "I'm an excellent driver."  
  
"I'll be staying here in case something happens to your sister. Go and have fun."  
  
The three said their goodbyes and went out the front door.  
  
"I'm guessing Aunt Paige doesn't really need to know about your experience with dad's car, hmm?" Julia said.  
  
Drew opened the car doors. "Shut up."  
  
Xan went in the car. "Pru has a power now. And we're next. But it doesn't make sense. In the book it says our ancestor's powers, moving things with her mind, seeing the future and stopping time would be passed on to future generations."  
  
Julia grinned. "Maybe we mutated. Or at least Pru did. And you don't really know that she did it."  
  
"Look on the bright side," noted Drew. "Would you want to be stuck with seeing the future? Man, that'd be totally useless."  
  
"Let's not worry about it," said Julia, getting restless. "Mall now. Witch stuff later."  
  
*** *** ***  
  
A little while later, the trio were in a grocery store. Julia had suggested they get some real food.  
  
"Aunt Paige is cool, but she does not have good taste. In food, I mean."  
  
Drew was going down the aisles of the store, looking out for anything interesting. Cereal, milk, frozen pizza, ice cream. What else could they get? Around the corner he spied a blonde girl, about his age, lurking around the fresh produce. I could definitely get some of her.  
  
She looked up from the fruits, noticing his eyes on her. She smiled seductively.  
  
...well hello there, handsome...  
  
Huh? Drew looked around. Where did that come from? Nobody was around. Who said that? Then it struck him. Demons? He looked back at Girl Near the Vegetables, and even more compliments echoed around his head.  
  
He sighted an old woman in the same aisle he was in. He began to stare at her. Could she be a demon? Anyone could be a demon, he thought.  
  
...don't need too much sugar. Maybe I should get something else... Why is that boy staring at me?  
  
Drew was suddenly aware of the old woman, staring back at him. Those thoughts. It just popped in my brain. They were hers.  
  
...is he taking so long...  
...hope mommy lets me get candy...  
...life sucks where is he... ... gotta hurry gotta run...  
  
A sea of people. All their thoughts and ideas flowing into his head.  
  
It was his power. He could read minds.  
  
*** *** ***  
  
"So you're saying that you're a telepath?" asked Xan, recalling certain comic book terms he had picked up in his childhood. They had found each other, hurried to get everything, and left the mall. Now they were in the car, which was when Drew decided to tell them. Electricity was in the air. Xan could feel it.  
  
"I can read your head. Yeah," Drew said, having read the same comic books Xan had. "It makes sense. I was born a few minutes earlier than you. Something happened to you yet? Julia?"  
  
Xan and Julia shook their heads. "Okay, prove it," said Julia.  
  
Drew stopped at the red light, and took a deep breath.  
  
"Julia, you're thinking you don't believe me. Xan, you can't wait to get your powers."  
  
"That's easy. It's obvious what we're thinking. Okay, I'm thinking of food right now. What is it?"  
  
Drew narrowed his eyes. "A big chunk of ham."  
  
Xan turned his eyes to Drew, and then to Julia. "Ham?"  
  
"What? I wanted to test him. He is right, by the way. Cool."  
  
Xan settled back into the seat. "We should hurry back home. Something might have happened to Pru."  
  
*** *** ***  
  
Pru was in her bedroom. She had woken up from her nap, and though she still felt strange, she was more relaxed now. After Aunt Paige had sent her to the room and before she slept, Pru had been thinking about all that had happened. All the while, she had been... changing some of the things in the room without noticing it. When she finally did, she had decided to rest.  
  
So now she was awake. She had begun to accept what was happening to her and her family. My power is great, after all, she thought. Very handy. At the moment, she was toying with a pencil, changing it to a pen. She realized that her power could only last about ten to fifteen seconds. Something she couldn't figure out was how it all worked.  
  
You used to think there were no such things as witches. And now you're a witch. Defying science shouldn't be a problem... Damn. I should have went with them. Then I could amaze them with my matter-altering ability. See me, The Great Purity Madison, able to make a rabbit *into* the hat.  
  
Pru put down the pencil/pen. Maybe I should read through the Book of Shadows. What else can I do?  
  
She jumped and ran out her room when she heard her aunt scream for help.  
  
*** *** ***  
  
Drew stepped on the gas.  
  
Julia was pressed back into the seat. "Okay, why the sudden rush?"  
  
"Aunt Paige's in trouble."  
  
"What? How do you know?" questioned Xan, holding back the groceries about to fall on the car floor.  
  
"I just do. I was trying to pick up on Pru's thoughts and it felt as if she was in danger."  
  
"Okay, Drew, we should slow down a bit."  
  
"There might be a demon or a ghost or something."  
  
"Drew, I think Aunt Paige and Pru can- Look out!"  
  
*** *** ***  
  
"Aunt Paige!" Pru yelled, her voice echoing throughout the house.  
  
"Aaaah!" It was then she realized that the scream had come from the attic.  
  
"Oh no." Pru ran up the stairs, finally getting to the attic door. She tried to turn the knob. Won't open. Pru began to bust down the door. "Paige!" Pru sighted the vase of flowers on a table near her. Taking it into her hands, she concentrated, as faint blue light began to appear around it. Soon, a crowbar had taken its place.  
  
"I'm coming, Paige!"  
  
*** *** ***  
  
"OhGodohGodohGod. We're dead, we're dead."  
  
Julia opened her eyes. Fortunately, they were still alive, right in the middle of an intersection. Strangely though, their car, which was amidst others that were in shambles, was still intact, except for a few minor dents. Stranger still, a shiny, silver field was enveloping their vehicle.  
  
Just as soon as she saw the same silver energy around Xan's hands, the field disappeared. Julia looked at her brother, her lips forming a smile.  
  
"You did it. That was your power."  
  
Drew was looking around him, as people in the streets looked on at the near-five-car pile—up. It didn't seem as if anybody noticed what Xan had just did. Drew breathed a sigh of relief. "That was too close."  
  
Xan looked at his hands in disbelief. His eyes lit up, as he said, "Pru's still in danger. We have to get home fast."  
  
Julia's smile quickly turned into an expression of dread. "Did anybody see us? The shield-thing?"  
  
Drew looked at his sister. "No," he assured her, "and hopefully nobody will see our license plate when we hurry on out of here."  
  
*** *** ***  
  
Finally, Pru was able to jimmy the attic door open, and she quickly slipped inside. Inside, Paige was tied up with a strange rope which gave off an unearthly glow. Near her was a man who, though she had never been formally introduced to, Pru knew enough of to recognize.  
  
"Mr. Inne?!" The man's face contorted into an evil grin, fangs sprouting suddenly from his mouth.  
  
"Pru!" her Aunt Paige yelled. "Help me!"  
  
Feeling the crowbar in her hands, she hurled it at the manor's gardener. In midair, it changed back into a vase and knocked Mr. Inne unconscious.  
  
The alien rope which bound Paige earlier vanished, and she ran to her niece, giving her a hug.  
  
"You know I've been waiting for you."  
  
Pru looked on inn horror as Mr. Inne's eyes flew open, and she found herself tied with the same white cords.  
  
"For twenty-three years, I've been waiting. Now all that has finally paid off."  
  
*** *** ***  
  
"Something's happened."  
  
"What?" cried Julia to Drew, as she was thrown back into the seat.  
  
"We have to hurry. Something's happened to Pru."  
  
Xan looked around them. "Wait, are you sure nobody noticed? Slow down, we might get arrested!"  
  
"There's no time. And I don't know if anyone saw us, I couldn't read their minds. Too far."  
  
"Too far?? You read Pru's mind, and we won't even reach her in ten minutes!"  
  
"I don't know, maybe it has something to do with being family, or something. And we're getting there in less," said Drew.  
  
"Okay, just don't get us in another accident. Please." Julia held her seatbelt tightly.  
  
*** *** ***  
  
After finally arriving, the three hurried up the Halliwell Manor, breathing heavily and with hearts beating fast. Once inside, they called for their sister.  
  
"Pru!"  
  
"Pru?"  
  
They went down the hall, and were welcomed by Paige's dry voice drifting from the conservatory.  
  
"Well, well. It sure did take *you* quite a long time. I was beginning to lose my patience," said Aunt Paige, a cruel smile formed from her lips.  
  
Pru was in a chair, tied together with glowing ropes, their Aunt Paige standing right beside her, pressing a dagger to Pru's neck. Near her was a monstrous Mr. Inne, almost unrecognizable with his fangs and horns. Julia had almost forgotten who he was, since he had been gone ever since they saw him the first day.  
  
"I was getting restless," she continued. "You almost had me slit your sister's throat here."  
  
"Aunt... Paige??" Xan's eyes widened in disbelief.  
  
"No. No." Julia was shaking her head.  
  
"Yes. It's me. See? Aunt Paige. Did you bump your head on something?"  
  
"You're not our aunt," said Drew, his eyes set on the woman in front of him.  
  
Paige rolled her eyes. "Ugh, what is taking you so long? I was thinking, you know, a little 2-on-3 before I get your powers. I don't even know what they are. Why don't you show me a demo, just for old time's sake?" A coat rack turned into some dark blue energy, as it disappeared and reappeared in Paige's hands.  
  
"Here!" Paige threw the blue orb at the three. Xan immediately raised his hands, and the gray field surrounded them, the orb crashing into it and exploding into nothingness.  
  
"Ah, force-fields. I'm going to like that power." Paige looked over to Mr. Inne "Mason?"  
  
Mr. Inne smiled as he cast spheres of black energy at Xan, breaking through his barrier, knocking him senseless.  
  
"Xan!" Julia cried, as she and Drew ran to their brother.  
  
Another ball of dark flew through the air, hitting Drew.  
  
"Drew!" screamed Julia. She held her brothers, tears starting to form in her eyes.  
  
"And then there was one. Hmm. Maybe I'll just kill you anyway. I'm sure any power of the new Charmed Ones will be of great use. Come here." Blue light began to surround Julia, and a feeling of weightlessness came over her.  
  
"No!"  
  
From Julia's hands came bolts of electricity, finding their mark on Mr. Inne and Paige. The two crumpled on the floor, and the ties which had Pru helpless vanished.  
  
"J!" Pru ran to her sister, hugging her. "We have to get out of here." The two sisters helped their brothers get up.  
  
"No," Xan said, his face contorted in pain as he talked, "we have to get to the book."  
  
*** *** ***  
  
The four siblings dashed up the attic stairs. Upon getting there, Xan went instantly to the Book of Shadows. He flipped through its pages, while Pru, seeing a dresser, began to push it toward the door.  
  
"Drew, help me get this on the door."  
  
"How'd mom ever figure out how to find what they were looking for?" Xan's head swam with all the book's pages.  
  
Julia made her way to her brother. "Let me help."  
  
Pru and Drew were now building up a blockade on the door. "No," said Pru, "you have the lightning fingers. You have to be on guard. Oh, and Drew? I know this is a bad time, but what's your power?"  
  
"Reading minds. And I know there's something wrong with Aunt Paige."  
  
"Of course there's something wrong with Aunt Paige!" yelled Xan. "She's a freaking demon!"  
  
With Xan's outburst, the pages of the Book of Shadows began to flip by themselves.  
  
"Whoa. And the pages flip again."  
  
"Whoa is right." Drew shook his head, snapping out of his surprise. "Okay, hear me out. When I try to read someone's mind, usually, only one voice pops in my head. When I tried it with Aunt Paige-"  
  
"Stop calling her Aunt Paige," Pru snapped.  
  
Drew rolled his eyes. "When I tried it, two different voices came up. And one of them didn't feel human."  
  
"So what you're saying is?" Julia asked.  
  
"What, exactly?" Pru interrupted.  
  
"That Aunt Paige has been possessed by a shadow," said Xan.  
  
"Huh?" Drew asked, going over to the BOS.  
  
"It's a low-level demon which usually aid advanced demons. As some demons don't have real shadows, a shadow creature takes its place, sometimes acting as a messenger of sorts. Some are more powerful than others, being able to possess humans, witches and even warlocks and other demons."  
  
"Can we kill it?" Julia was anxiously waiting for the attic door to come down in shambles.  
  
"Wait! What about Mr. Inne?" Pru had been almost inside a trunk, looking for something. In jubilation, she took out a hammer, grasping it in her hand.  
  
Xan flipped through a few pages. "I don't know, maybe he's a shadow too."  
  
Suddenly, the four were thrown back as the attic door exploded in dust and splinters, revealing Paige and Mr. Inne.  
  
"Sorry to invade on your privacy here, but I just couldn't resist eavesdropping on your little chat." She snapped her fingers, signaling her partner to bind them.  
  
"This time, I won't make any mistakes, since I already know your powers. You're right on everything, 'cept for old Mason over here. He's just a golem who knows only one thing – bloodlust. Oh, and I gave him his green thumb. Ain't I the coolest?"  
  
"Why are you doing this?" cried Julia, while she and her siblings struggled to free themselves.  
  
"Why, to steal your powers, my pretty. Hmm. Odd how the youngest of the Power of Three – oh, I'm sorry – Four, has the strongest power, and her sister and brothers are useless."  
  
"I resent that," Xan said, fuming.  
  
"Ah, but you will resent me even more when I kill your younger sister first. The whiniest are always the easiest to get rid of."  
  
"You don't scare us," said Drew.  
  
"Ah, but that's why I have him," replied Paige, referring to Mr. Inne. "Now, to begin..."  
  
Paige walked over to them, but was blocked by Xan's force-field.  
  
"You should know by now that that power's useless against us." Paige began to orb in her hands a dagger, while Mr. Inne was preparing a shadow ball.  
  
"We do." Pru smiled as the ropes, which held her and her siblings' arms, changed into wood splinters. "That's one thing about my power you don't know about." Seeing this, Mr. Inne threw his projectile at the shield. The Madisons escaped just in time, and Julia zapped back the sphere of black, striking Mr. Inne, blowing him up into bits. In fury, Paige threw the dagger at Julia.  
  
"J, look out!"  
  
Julia screamed as Drew grabbed her, escaping from the sharp blade just in time.  
  
"Guys! The spell!" Xan yelled.  
  
"No!!" Paige shrieked. The book began to orb to Paige, but it appeared to have a mind of its own, resisting the foe and falling back on its stand.  
  
"You can't touch our book," said Pru, as she, Xan, Drew and Julia began to chant.  
  
In this darkness hides evil's blight,  
Give us the strength and restore our sight..  
With power which flows through hearts of kin,  
Release the shadow which lives within.  
  
Paige doubled over in pain. She howled in agony, dropping to the ground. A ghostlike, black, featureless creature jumped out of the motionless body.  
  
It looked at them with seething hate, as a hissing sound came from its mouthless face.  
  
Julia raised her hand sending a bolt of electricity at the demon. The shadow creature's body shook as the shock flowed through, and he blew up in dust.  
  
"Aunt Paige."  
  
They crowded around their aunt, fearing the worst.  
  
The eldest child checked her aunt's pulse.  
  
"She's still alive."  
  
*** *** ***  
  
Paige lay on a hospital bed. She had only a few days to go. Her nephews and nieces entered the room. Knowing their aunt had little time left here, smiles were on their faces as they sat down on the uncomfortable room seats.  
  
"Hello," they greeted. "How ya feeling?" asked Julia cheerfully.  
  
Aunt Paige sat herself up. "Hi," she said weakly, "I'm fine, thanks. The drugs they're giving me are making me groggy." Paige grinned.  
  
Pru placed a spray of the manor's daffodils on a small table. "Just clipped a few of these from the house. Is that okay?"  
  
Paige smiled, and nodded. "Thank you for being here. You can't believe what this is doing to me. And especially after what happened... I'm sorry."  
  
"It wasn't like you could do anything," said Xan, comforting his aunt.  
  
"Yeah. You wouldn't believe how it feels. Being able to move your own hands and legs after twenty-so years of being helpless, watching someone else move your body like a puppet."  
  
"We still have so much questions." Pru told her. "But this isn't the time."  
  
"What you told us when you were... taken over. Was that just one big lie?" Drew asked, hesitantly.  
  
"Not everything. The shadow used my thoughts to tell you the truth. But what he didn't tell you was what happened. When I betrayed them all by succumbing to evil. When your Aunt Phoebe and I almost died. When your mother left." Paige sighed, her eyes meeting her family's expectant faces. "And I think it's about time I told you what happened to me. To all of us."  
  
And Paige Matthews told Purity, Drew, Xan and Julia Halliwell-Madison her story. 


End file.
